June 11
________________________________________ UNBELIEF LEADS TO DEPRAVITY
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.– John 3:9-15
________________________________________
Prior to these following verses, we learned that Nicodemus, a high-ranking Jewish teacher went secretly to Jesus at night to ask questions. He was curious about how Jesus knew so much about God truths when he wasn’t educated like him. Jesus answered one of his questions prior to these part of Scriptures about being born again, but Nicodemus still couldn’t comprehend what Jesus was saying. It is clear in the words of the Lord that Nicodemus was struggling with unbelief. Jesus asked the Jewish teacher how can he know earthly things that he already explained earlier, how harder would it be if he told him heavenly things. Jesus told him that he is the Son of Man from heaven, but there is just so much disbelief that he couldn’t accept it. Thereby, making him more confused and ignorant. Curiosity hindered him from hearing the truth. His accolades as a Jewish ruler can’t grasp the concept of this poor uneducated man who claims to be the Son of God.
Unbelief destroys the capacity to understand even simple things. I have a fellow believer who is doing life with me and for a whole year of studying and discipleship, she still couldn’t let go of all her beliefs that doesn’t align with truth. She wants to cling to what she knew because it was comfortable for her to hold on to what she was used to. She didn’t want to hear the truth since she had been believing all lies and distorted teachings about Jesus. She could not put on the new nature in Christ because she wouldn’t take off the old nature. One cannot put another set of clothes over the top of old clothes. It wouldn’t sit right. It is the same with the new creation when you became born again. You can’t mix it with the old. It wouldn’t be right.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What is your concept of unbelief? Why do you think there are there still many Christians who live unbelieving lives?